A study conducted by scientists at New York University Langone Health in the United States found microplastics inside prostate cancer tumors.
What you should know
Researchers have found microplastics inside prostate cancer tumors. The discovery of microplastics inside tumors has further highlighted the impact of pollution on public health. A study conducted by scientists at New York University Langone Health in the United States found microplastics inside prostate cancer tumors.
The findings from the research were presented at the ‘Urinary and Reproductive Cancers’ conference organized by the American Cancer Society and the American Cancer Society. The research analyzed samples from 10 men with prostate cancer, with an average age of 65.
After surgery, samples were taken from the cancerous tumor and another non-cancerous part. It is said that on average, about two and a half times more plastic was found in cancerous tumors than in non-cancerous tumors. The researchers found about 40 micrograms of microplastic per gram in the tumors.
The study's lead researcher and urologist at New York University Langone Medical Center, Dr. Stacey Loeb, said the finding of so many microplastics in the tumors was "very surprising and concerning." She said, "This raises serious questions about the possible relationship between microplastics and prostate cancer development, and we will continue to study this issue with more patients."
A study by Chinese researchers published in The Lancet in 2024 also found plastic in prostate tumors.
Dr. Andrea Viale, an associate professor in the Department of Genomic Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center, said the finding of microplastics in tumors is a serious public health issue. He said ‘Although we don’t fully understand what it’s doing, having it in the body is a cause for concern.’
Researchers say microplastics may play a role in increasing inflammation in prostate cells, causing oxidative damage, and delivering potentially cancer-causing chemicals found in plastics into the body. However, they conclude that more detailed research is needed to determine what role they play in cancer, as plastics come in many different types, sizes, and chemical compositions.
According to the American Cancer Society, about one in eight men in the United States will develop prostate cancer. The rate of late-stage disease detection has also been steadily increasing in recent decades.
